Cooper lives up to family legacy
Simon Kenton senior adds to clan’s haul
Ryan Ernst
Enquirer staff writer
FRANKFORT – At the conclusion of his state championship match, Simon Kenton senior Neil Cooper was scooped into the air by coach Jim Wilbers, then carried around the Frankfort Convention Center arena and into the stands to be with his family.
None of the 14 state champions crowned Saturday seemed to appreciate the moment as much as Cooper. After the expectations and burdens that have been placed upon him, few could.
Cooper beat Campbell County’s Mike Nolan 13-10 for the 152-pound title, avenging an upset loss to Nolan in last year’s final and becoming the fourth member of the Cooper family to win a state championship. He was one of three Northern Kentucky wrestlers to win individual titles Saturday.
Cooper said he thought about last year’s loss as motivation.
“The whole time, every second, “he said. “I just knew this was my chance to get my state championship and make up for last year.”
The Kentucky wrestling record books are full of the Cooper name. Neil’s brothers Craig and Brad combined for four state titles from 2001 through 2003. Brad won three at three different weights and Craig won a 152-pound championship. A cousin, Kyle, won state last year at 145 pounds.
While Cooper made up for last year, Ryle 119-pounder Kyle Ruschell was repeating last year’s result. The senior easily won his second straight state title, earning a 20-5 technical fall over Stacy Miller of Larue County, and helped lead a record-setting day for Ryle.
Ruschell not only helped lead the Raiders to a second-place tie with Larue County, he also won the tournament’s outstanding wrestler award. The Raiders finished 45 points behind champion Woodford County. Campbell County was fourth.
Ruschell won state at 103 pounds last year and was runner-up at that weight as a sophomore. Since coming up short in the 2003 finals, Ruschell, the first two-time state champ in school history, has not lost a match to an in-state foe.
Last year, Ruschell won a tournament award for recording the most pins in the shortest time. This year he went the long route, though it was no less impressive. Ruschell recorded technical falls in his final three matches.
“I went up in weight and the guys are stronger, “Ruschell said. “… It’s just harder to pin them to the mat.”
Ryle junior Rob Aylor defeated Brian Wilson of Campbell County in the 140-pound finals, earning a 4-1 decision.
Aylor and Ruschell’s titles marked the first time Ryle has won two championships in the same year.
“I think that just shows how much we’re improving, “Aylor said. “And we’re just going to keep on improving for years to come.”
Stanley Stone of Conner and Kevin Orth of Campbell County each captured runner-up finishes, falling in the finals to the state’s top-ranked wrestlers in their respective weight classes.
Stone, who won a gutsy 5-3 decision in the semifinals over Nick Neessen of Woodford County, fell 16-2 to Tony McDermott of Trinity in the 171 finals. Orth, who breezed through the first four rounds of the tournament, lost 13-5 to Richard Starks of Woodford County in the 189 championship match.
Northern Kentucky wrestlers recorded four third-place finishes: Daniel Thueneman of Scott at 125 pounds, Austin Cooper of Simon Kenton at 145, Matt Robinson of Ryle at 189 and Keith Lageman of Conner at heavyweight.
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